Advances in the development of novel diagnostic techniques—including new or improved imaging modalities—provide surgeons with more information and a better understanding of the area being treated. This enables surgeon to collect, for example, real-time and non-destructive biopsies including analysis of regions that are typically difficult to access. These innovations have resulted in significant improvements in diagnostic evaluation, treatment options, and patient outcomes for a variety of maladies.
One such useful diagnostic technique is optical coherence tomography (OCT), an interferometric technique utilizing light (typically infrared) for noninvasive diagnosis and imaging. OCT is used to obtain sub-surface images of translucent or opaque materials at a resolution equivalent to a low-power microscope. OCT provides tissue morphology imagery at much higher resolution (better than 10 μm) than other imaging modalities such as MRI or ultrasound. OCT has transformed the field of ophthalmology and promises to have a similar impact on a variety of other medical specialties. A particular mode of OCT, termed “A-scan,” provides one-dimensional axial depth scans of the tissue of interest, thus providing information on the identity, size, and depth of subsurface features. A series of spatially adjacent A-scans (typically lying in a straight line) may be combined to form a two-dimensional reconstructed image of the imaged area (termed a “B-scan”), offering surgeons a visual reconstruction of subsurface features. Likewise, three-dimensional (3D) images, termed “C-scans,” may be formed by “stacking” multiple B-scans.
OCT systems have become a mainstay in hospitals and ophthalmology clinics for diagnostic evaluation and imaging purposes. Despite the clear benefit of the technology to the health and treatment of the patient, the cost of an OCT system often prohibits hospitals and clinics from purchasing a sufficient number of OCT systems to accommodate patient demand. This resource limitation creates a bottleneck that complicates the examination process, slows patient throughput, and ultimately reduces the productivity of the medical staff.
Consequently, there is an urgent need for OCT systems that can handle multiple patients simultaneously or nearly so, thereby reducing costs and increasing patient throughput.